Journal 2 and 3

In the past couple of weeks in Multi-Ethnic we've talked a bit about the importance of small ethnic publications.

Prof. Reisner suggested using these publications as a way of keeping connected with ethnic communites and discovering issues important to them.

News judgement is going to be different in a multi-ethnic paper and it's important to look at them because, like said in class, they are good resources. I agree with this. It's an inside look to what's going on in their "world." I guess that's not the best word to use coming out of a class like this.

To give us a closer look at multi-ethnic media, Professor Reisner invited the editor-in-chief and of the South Florida Times. I don't mean to offend, but he was a really boring speaker and no matter how hard I tried, my mind drifted to LaLa land.

From what I was mentally in the class for, he didn't say anything that resonated with me. The one interesting thing he did say was an answer to a student's question. Someone asked if reporters had to "be one to report on one?" To which he answered, "no."

That was the first time my ears perked up at something he said. It related to previous class discussions about being objective and subjective.

I've learned about this in my experience writing for student media. I've never dealt with racial issues but when covering student government or any other student association, it's been difficult learning how to keep my voice out of the articles.

We came to the conclusion that there is no such thing a complete objectivity. Our opinions will always come through in our work and the best we can do is show fairness.

We discussed the differences between African Americans and Caribbean blacks. I had no idea that Rastas were considered a negative image for Jamaicans. I admit to totally falling prey to thinking all Jamaicans were pot-smoking, yellow, red and green wearing people.

This discussion was the first time I felt comfortable looking at race in a different way. I didn't feel I was being offensive by asking questions about the differences between people. It was great to see how excited Reisner got during this discussion because his class had reached a point where there were no bars and everyone was participating.

One of my favorite discussions was of Cubans living in Miami who refuse to learn english. This has driven me crazy my whole life. Both my parents are Cuban and my grandparents only know how to say "hello" and "stupid gringo" in english. They have always reprimanded me for not speaking spanish well. If the constant nagging wasn't irritating enough, their reason for me learning spanish does me in. They tell me I live in Miami and should know spanish. Last time I checked Miami was a part of the United States, meaning we should speak english.

Cubans have this idea that one day they are going to move back to Cuba once Castro is not in power, so why adjust to the American life. I think it's time for those Cubans who have been living here for close to 50 years to realize they aren't going back.